


Carry

by CharmyWizard



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Autism, Convention, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Meltdown, Protective Leo, autistic don
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:36:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25120993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharmyWizard/pseuds/CharmyWizard
Summary: A visit to a local convention goes wrong when Donnie gets overstimulated. Now it’s up to Leo to get to him and get him home
Relationships: Donatello & Leonardo (TMNT), NO TCEST - Relationship
Comments: 4
Kudos: 127





	Carry

**Author's Note:**

> Written for sad boys prompt so it sad yo

“DUDE THE DIRECTOR OF JUPTER JIM SAILS THE SEVEN GALAXIES IS HERE!!”

Leo spat out his twenty dollar Jupiter themed tea,” Shut UP NO WAY,” He yanked the pamphlet to him searching the autograph sectioned the Convention before finding the name he looked for “Steven Stephen Steinburg?!???” he let out a excited shrill” NO WAY we have to get his autographs.”

“A-HEM.” Don snapped his fingers “Excuse me but that’s when the line to the Jupiter Jim screening opens up remember?they’re supposed to show the entire Jupiter Jim prequel movie with five minutes never before seen footage? And i warned you at the beginning of the night that every time you break the itinerary I get to pick the next movie we watch, and so far i get to pick the next three.” He said with a smirk so villainous that Draxum himself would be proud

The three looked at each other in mild panic, knowing that Donnie has just bought the “science of socks a twenty part series” he was dying to watch.But Leo always having a plan, grinned ,” How about this, two of us wait in line in for the movie and save our spots and the other two go meet the director is that ok with you Dee?”

Don gave him a hard look, Leo honestly felt a little bad for breaking the schedule so much. But any guilt he might of felt went away when Don smiled, “Ok I know you all want to be the one who meets him, and who ever stays in line with me will complain, So how about I’ll hold our spot in line for the movie and you can go meet-“

Raph stood up shrieking with glee “THANKSDONNIETHANKYOUTHANKYOUUUUU!” with Mikey was already doing a cartwheel in joy, “we gotta hurry!! He’s going to be the most popular boooth!!”

Raph looked at his phone, then to Don, “If you need us text us ok? Headphones still working?”

Don rolled his eyes, before bringing up his tech gauntlet “ My noise cancelling are at 76 % so yeah go. But if you don’t bring me back a cool gift I’m picking the next eight movies.-“ but Leo was already running after Raph and Mikey he barely had time to give Don a wave before hurrying off

(#)(#)\/(#)(#)

One thing to be said about conventions was that no matter what was going on, there was going to be a long ass line. Even though the event didn’t officially start for another twenty minutes, there was already a line full of people. Truth be told Leo was grateful that it wasn’t bigger, so they stepped in behind a Sailor Saturn cosplayer and her girlfriend. out of all conventions they g to every year (about seventy five Leo can name off the top of his head ) Comic City Convention was one of his top fifty favorites. At first it was because he thought it was the only place they could walk around like normal people but since apparently new Yorkers were very unobservant, it was just plain fun. Splinter had taken them to conventions ever since they were little, but because of the noise level Don hadn’t always gone with them. During those times Leo would stay home with him and they would have their own fun (or Leo would bug him so much that Donnie would beat him up with a pillow). But Don’s noise canceling headphones allowed him to o to go crowded places without being over stimulated or overwhelmed .Leo was bout to ask Raph if he could perch on his shell but Mikey had already scampered up and stuck his tongue out at Leo that he returned in humor “Brat.” He grinned 

“Hey” Raph gave him a half hearted glare, “he got there first suck it up like a big turtle.” Before turning back to the line, “Do you guys really think we’ll be back in time for the movie?”

“I mean, it wouldn’t be fair to make Donnie hold our spot the whole time would be mean. If he gets a chance he should do what he wants to do.”

“Yeah agreed, I feel a little bad leaving him behind.” There’s a shift in Raph that Leo recognized a mile away as he looked the way they had come, “I know he’s capable-“

“As long as he has those headphones cancel out the noise he’ll be ok. Its why he had such a hard time at the Yokai Mart, he can handle crowds and smells so long as he doesn’t have to hear them.” Though truth be told, it was a little more crowded then it had been yesterday. And he was pretty sure the smell of cosplayers refusing deodorant was causing a smog cloud above them all.

As the line shifted forward he his phone vibrated in his convention appropriate fanny pack, the image of Don and him in a selfie on the screen indicating his number, he answered, “Dee sorry its taking so long I’ll bring you back a treat I prom-“ but the line suddenly clicked out. Any normal person would of assumed that Donnie had dialed him on accident, or that he had gotten annoyed with Leo’s excuse. But the moment before Don hung up, he heard a single breath, shaking with emotion.

Without hesitation, Leo stepped out of line, “Guys I’m going to go check on Don, go ahead with out me, get him to sign my Jupiter Jim Gym Towel if you can.”Ignoring their inquiries, Leo started off at a quick pace ducking around the cosplayers and families with his heart hammering in his chest. He could feel his phone shake again, “Dee what’s going on?” He asked,

“I-“ thankfully this time they didn’t get disconnected, “I-they stopped working. I don’t know what happened, they just lost power, I-I” Don’ s voice cracked so bad Leo thought for a moment the connection was breaking, but then realized it was from the emotion in his voice.

“I’m coming bro, I’m almost there.” He promised, “take a deep breath, remember Dad’s exercises. “ before the call disconnected again. The line for the extended Jupiter Jim movie came up, normally it wouldn’t take too long to pick outa giant green soft shell turtle (but come on, they were in a sci-fi convention they had seen twelve turtle cosplays on the way to get pretzels) Before seeing his brother near the front of the line, before a teenager with gauges that would make the turtle tank tires jealous, and behind Eda the Owl Lady cosplayer, his brother was jabbing furiously at his gauntlet, his eyes drawn in panic that would of sent him spiraling if he hadn’t taken a deep breath and taken his brother by his shoulders, catching his attention,”Don want’s going on what’s wrong?”

“Hey!” The teenager snapped behind them, “Don’t cut!” But Leo ignored him, and thankfully Don did to, his gaze was a a mile away and Leo wasn’t sure he acknowledged him before he went back to his gauntlet, “So-something happened, the battery started to drop and n-“ his voice broke off as he held out the forearm holding his screen, as black as obsidian, he presses one hand to the side of his head with his shoulder bunched up to press against the other side in a desperate attempt to block out the noise desperately trying to blink away his rapidly filling eyes 

He opened his mouth to say something, some form of comfort that he knew would be hollow on Don’s overstimulated mind, when the voice of the ear gauged teenager spoke up again

“Hey spaz if you’re going to cry get out of line.”

Leo was the calm turtle. He was the one who cracked a smile , who’d throw his arm over over his brothers shoulder or tease them into a rage. It was his job. In that moment, like a musician, his key changes.  
The red slider pivots hard, his fist twisting the teens shirt up tightly and yanking him close. So that the now terrified teen can only see into his eyes, “ If I ever see or hear you talking about my brother with anything lacking the same dignity you would give someone without a disability, I will send you so far into the earth that not even the devil will be able to find you” he released the teen, in his panic the boy stepped out of line, looking at him as though he had sprouted knives out of his hands and fire from his eyes before turning and running away.

He allows himself a single shaky breath, pulling himself back and turning his full attention to his trembling brother, whose still staring at his gauntlet as though it was a dead pet, “Dee come on lets go.” His brother doesn’t acknowledge he heard him, but when he lifts his arm to put around his shoulders his brother leans against him. His body trembling so hard Leo was afraid he was going to pass out. 

It was far quicker to get out of the convention then it had been to get to Don in the first place, he was largely sure because he still had a unpleasant look on his face. When they reached the cold air of New York at night, his brother froze again, before Leo could do anything, Donnie sank down into a squatting position so quick he was sure for a sec Don had collapsed, instead his brother buried his face into his knees, his body trembling uncontrollably as his pressed his hands over the sides of his head so hard he was scared he was trying to break his skull. Leo knelt by his side, one arm wrapped around him as he took out his phone, Raph picked up after a ring, “Lee? Where’d you go? Is Don ok?”

“Don’s headphones failed, he’s having a meltdown so I’m taking him home.” He hugs Don to his chest , tucking his chin over Dons scalp 

“I-Should we go with you? We can be there in a sec?”

Leo glances down at Don, but before he can think of an answer, Don timidly shakes his head, he figures that’s the answer, “No it’ll just make Don feel worst if theres’ a audience. It wont take me long to get him home. Just have fun.”

“O-Ok just take care of our brother?”

For the first time since don’s failed phone call he allows himself a smile, “Of course,” before hanging up-

“Why.”

The voice is so alien and unlike Don that at first Leo is sure its someone else watching, but the voice came gain, “I-I was so careful. I checked th-three times. B-But it still failed.” Don’s body tenses, his shoulders trembling like weakened floodgates before a hurricane of emotion, “I was careful.” His voice cracks 

“I know Dee, lets just worry about getting you home ok?” He takes his brothers biceps, ready to help him stand. But Don stands up so slow and so painfully that Leo doesn’t have the heart to make his already breaking brother move more then he has to. He instead turns his shell to Don and bends down slightly, with little to no protest, he lifts his brother onto his shell in a piggy back style. If Don had been more aware he was sure he would of beaten the back fo his skull to pieces in anger. But when Leo stands back up, he can feel Don duck his face slightly, a barely audible sob escaping him.

He prayed for forgiveness for hurting his brothers pride before hurrying off

(#)(#)\/(#)(#)

The run home doesn’t take nearly as long, though there’s no medical factors to worry about he knows that Don can start o calm down as soon as he gets into a familiar setting. It’s the only reason he doesn’t stop to grab some headphones from a store, he doesn’t want to risk Don spiraling again in a crowded environment. Through some creative sliding ,by placing either foot on either side of the ladder and one hand holding railing, his free arm keeping Don’s still trembling body to his shell, he is able to slide down the ladder (actually if he hadn’t been so intent on getting Don home he would have been more impressed with himself). Raph must of called Splinter ahead of time, since when they got home Splinter was waiting for them with one of Don’s hoodies, only then does Leo allow Don back to his feet.

The minute Don sees their father he falls apart completely, falling to his knees and weeping into Splinters robe whit his arms wrapped around him. 

Leo , despite his desire to be more active, knows the best thing he can do is step away for a little bit and make sure he’s not a audience member. Though its hard to make tea while knowing his brother is in that state, thinking twice he made sure to get a glass of flavorless juice but its not until hes’ pouring out his hot tear that he notices his own trembles wracking the tea pot. He takes a deep breath and sets it back down. 

It was then he noticed the muted sounds of Don’s sobs had finally subsided. He takes that asa cue to bring drinks. But as he steps into the hallway he hears Don’s emotion strained voice again,” Dad I said I don’t want to.”

“I know but I thought after tonight you might reconsider.’

Leo blinked, he had been raised better then to eavesdrop, but unfortunately it was in his nature to snoop, he steps closer to the living room doorway and listens, “I thought you gave me a choice in the matter?” There’s slight pain in don’s voice, accusing their father of some timing

“It is your choice, I will never force you to do something you don’t want to do.” Splinter pauses, “Leo stop being a busy body and get in here.” Oops, too tired to feel shame Leo steps in with his tray of drinks. Don was wrapped up on the arm chair in a blanket Leo had fetched from his bedroom and the hoodie Splinter had given him when he first arrived, while Splinter was sitting on the edge of the cushion, rubbing his arm, “Thank you.” Splinter says as he takes the drink ,”I’m going to call Red and let him know that you two made it home ok.” Double oops yeah he had forgotten to do that. Now that his adrenaline as dying down, his sense of humor was coming back. Splinter took one of the steaming tea mugs and stepped back out towards the kitchen. Now that they were alone Don looked at Leo before quickly scrubbing his face on his sleeve, “That for me?” He asked in a voice desperately trying to hide its emotion,

“Um yeah.” Leo sat on the arm of the giant chair and handed him his glass of flavorless juice, “How are you feeling?”

“Tired. Drained. The usual.” Don sips from the drink “Sorry you had to leave the convention because of me.”

“Psh, don’t even worry about it. There were way too many Bakugo cosplayers this year anyway”he pauses, waiting to see if his weak joke has any affect on Don’s face, but instead his brother looked away, “What were you and Dad talking about?”

“He.” Don pauses, “he wants me to go to therapy.”

“I-“ Leo blinks, “Oh,”

“It’s the same psychologist who diagnosed me when I was a kid, Dad thinks I’ve been having a harder time lately and that talking to someone who isn’t as close to our situation might help.’Don barely hides the resentment in his voice, “I’m just having a hard few months I’m not going to go have a therapist tell me that I have superiority issues or drug me up.” Don’s blood shot eyes meet his and in a moment he almost looks angry with him, “You think I should go to don’t you?”

“I didn’t say anything !”

“You don’t have to”

“I’m not.” Leo took a deep breath. In through the mouth out through the nose, or what ever they had, “Atleast he’s giving you a choice. He gave me the same one.”

Don blinks in surprise, “He what?”

“Yeah Dad’s been trying to talk to all of us about going to some sort of counseling, even Raph. He thinks my insomnia and my anxiety are somehow related to every thinking that’s been going on,”

“I mean.” Don shifts back in the chair, “Atleast I’m not the only one.”

For a moment the two sit in silence, in the weight of their situation. Leo turns and slides to sit by Don who in turn rests his head on his shoulder. Both a gesture telling the other that they were there for the other, “Dee.” Leo pauses, “I’ll think about going to therapy, if you think about going to therapy. Is that a deal?” He wasn’t sure what to expect as a answer, but he feels Don shift his head up and down, ‘Yeah fine, we‘ll get a professional to tell us which one of us is more screwed up.’

Despite himself, Leo smiles, wrapping his brother in a tight hug, “Deal. But its definitely Mikey”


End file.
